Have you tried gluten-free make-up?

With more and more people becoming
aware about gluten-free products which exclude ingredients like wheat,
barely and rye from their dishes, many cosmetic brands too have joined
the ranks to offer gluten-free make-up. Is this just a passing trend to
profit from people suffering from celiac disease, or a a required norm
which means gluten even in lotions and make-up can cause an allergy. We
find out the answers. For those suffering from celiac
disease, there’s typically no cure but eliminating gluten — a protein
found in wheat, barley, and rye as well as many common food additives.
Most food brands today have realised the need for gluten-free foods and
stock a wide variety of products for customers. However, experts believe
that making dietary changes isn’t enough. Gluten is present in the
make-up and toiletries most of us regularly use. While some feel these
beauty products are not an issue unless they’re accidentally eaten (like
we often do with lipsticks), others feel they’re best avoided
altogether.

From lipstick and gloss to mouthwash
and toothpaste, they can all trigger a reaction in people with celiac
disease. Keeping this in mind, cosmetic brands have become more diligent
in listing ingredients. Those like Maybelline, offer a list of
ingredients, while others like BareMinerals, Nars, Smashbox, generally
specify which of their products are gluten-free.A big business Virginia Holmes, co-owner and
co-founder Fat Mu Make-Up says currently people are becoming much more
aware of new products and also if they are intolerant to ingredients
like gluten, which has led to a demand for gluten-free and ‘healthier’
make-up in general. ‘There are certain companies that ensure all their
products really are gluten-free. In fact, gluten-free beauty products
are a big business abroad. The tricky part, however, she says
is knowing what’s in a product. ‘It’s not just make-up, but shampoos,
toothpaste, mouthwash, body creams and of course food that can contain
gluten. L’Oreal has created a long list of ingredients for the consumer
so if you really want to be precise about what you buy then you can take
it every time you shop. However, the problem comes when cosmetics
manufacturers don’t even know where their raw ingredients come from. For
example, much of the vitamin E used in cosmetics is derived from wheat,
which contains gluten.’

Possibility of a reactionGluten-free cosmetics are a
requirement for patients suffering from celiac disease says Dr Shefali
Trasi-Nerurkar, MD Dermatology, Trasi’s Clinic. ‘There are chances that
whenever these patients come in contact with products containing gluten,
an allergic rash can flare up. However, there is still a debate amongst
experts, as some feel that the gluten content in cosmetics is too small
to trigger a reaction,’ says she. Gluten generally used in make-up and
toiletries acts as a binder to help the ingredients stick together and
to add moisture to products through gluten-derived oils. ‘There is a
good range of such products available in the markets abroad, but in
India, many are still not aware of gluten-free cosmetics.’

Zinat Hanna is a full time writer who spends most of his time in
the coffee shops of Texas. Zinat has a BSc in psychology. Her
other interests are self improvement, general health, trans-humanism and
brain training. As well as writing for websites and magazines, she also
runs her own sites and has published several books and apps on these
topics. She lives in Texas, USA with her boyfriend and in her spare
time she enjoys climbing, travelling, playing games, reading comics and
eating sandwiches.

About Me

Zinat Hanna is a full time writer who spends most of his time in
the coffee shops of Texas. Zinat has a BSc in psychology. Her
other interests are self improvement, general health, trans-humanism and
brain training. As well as writing for websites and magazines, she also
runs her own sites and has published several books and apps on these
topics. She lives in Texas, USA with her boyfriend and in her spare
time she enjoys climbing, travelling, playing games, reading comics and
eating sandwiches.